


Forever

by Sorin



Series: I Will Be Your Hope [6]
Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Fluff, Multi, SO MUCH FLUFF, That's a lot of fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-29
Updated: 2015-07-29
Packaged: 2018-04-11 20:13:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,763
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4450649
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sorin/pseuds/Sorin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“If I could have one wish,” he breathes, “it would be for this moment to last forever.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Forever

**Author's Note:**

  * For [xmoyashiii](https://archiveofourown.org/users/xmoyashiii/gifts).



> This piece is for my bestie, who I'm trying my hardest to coerce into FFXIV. :D It's definitely a bit more NSFW than my other works, but it isn't outright explicit... so consider this your warning!
> 
> Enjoy! <3

I watch Aymeric leave Fortemps Manor and sigh to myself.He’s upset, I think, and rightly so- but rushing headfirst into things is typically not the best idea, especially things like this.Next to me, Haurchefant sighs and spreads his hands in a helpless gesture.

“This is how he’s always been, Father,” he says to Count Fortemps, who’s shaking his head, exasperated.

“That does not mean much,” Edmond replies.“I understand his frustration, but what does he hope to accomplish?”

He hopes for change, I think, and I understand that desire.The Sultana had wanted the very same thing, and it had nearly cost her her life.I can only hope that this doesn’t cost Aymeric his, and I’m already thinking of a plan in the event he _does_ wind up in chains and accused of heresy.Revealing the truth after a thousand years of lies is a dangerous prospect, and I can’t think the Archbishop is going to welcome such a change, no matter what Aymeric believes.

Haurchefant shrugs.“He hopes for change, as do we all,” he says, echoing my thoughts in a way that’s almost eerie.“I only hope he listens to reason and does not get himself killed on a fool’s errand.All we can do is wait and pray for the best outcome.”He turns to me and smiles.“Come, let’s take advantage of this respite and get something to eat.”

I nod and glance at Alphinaud and Tataru, who both wave at me, then turn and leave the manor with Haurchefant.I’m lost in thought over Aymeric’s determined speech and nearly miss the fact that I have _at least_ a couple of days before anything is going to happen.I pause, then look up at him and tug on his hand.He turns to me, curious, and I grin.“Let’s go somewhere else,” I suggest.

He blinks, then tilts his head.“Where do you have in mind?” he asks.

I take his hands and reach for the aether.“Trust me,” I reply, and he squeezes my hands tight.

“I always do,” he says, and then we disappear into thin air.

When we reappear he staggers a little, and I support him carefully.I wonder if he’s teleported before, and I wince, thinking I probably should have warned him what I was planning on doing.He seems all right after a second, though- mainly because he has noticed that we are somewhere _far_ different.He looks around curiously, and his eyes widen in awe- and I can’t help the smile that spreads across my face.

_So this is what it’s like._

“Where are we?” he murmurs, looking around and soaking in all of the sights.

“Gridania,” I reply.I pause, then admit that I had been planning this ever since I’d gone to visit him and found him miserable with a cold- more so because it had ruined his plans to accompany me to the Aery.

His eyes shine when he looks back at me, and his smile is as broad as I’ve ever seen it.“Truly?Thank you, my friend, for thinking of something like this!It will be good to explore a new place… and more so with you by my side.”

I color a touch and nod, then take his hand and tug him along.I want to show him the marketplace first, I think, especially since he’d said he wanted something to eat- and we can take our food outside, sit in the cool grass beneath one of the huge trees and enjoy our time in a far more agreeable climate.

He is looking around in pure wonder with the innocence of a child, and it warms my heart to the brim to see him like this.I point out various things along the way as we walk, and it’s not for a few moments more that I realize our hands are still clasped… and I blush as I decide to let it be.I like the feeling of his hand in mine.

“I fear I’m going to sound woefully uneducated,” he says, shaking his head.“I’ve never left Ishgard- my family, my duty, everything else has kept me there.”He looks at me and smiles wistfully.“I’ve always felt envious of you, being able to travel and see the world.Surely you’re able to take at least a little time to enjoy it?”

I nod slowly.I am sometimes, at any rate, though often I’m not looking at the countryside when I’ve a task at hand.I certainly have been to all corners of Eorzea, though, and I’m already making a list of the places I’m going to take him once I’m able to do so.It’s quite an extensive list, and I smile to myself.I hope he has someone who can take his place for a little while.

When we reach the marketplace, he’s instantly captivated by all the vendors.“It’s not so different from Foundation,” he observes, “and yet it’s _vastly_ different… and the food smells so wonderful, it’s going to be difficult to choose what to eat!”He glances at me and winks.“Perhaps something a little less spicy than last time will suit, however.”

I can’t help but grin at that, and I nod in agreement.I’m partial to that particular stew, however, so I order myself a helping while he gets a delicious looking sandwich.We take our food outside and settle beneath a tree, and I shrug my cloak off.He pauses, then does the same, chuckling quietly to himself and shaking his head.

“Rare indeed is the time when one can go outside without a heavy cloak back home,” he says, looking up at the sky and sighing in pleasure.“This is a very welcome change.”He eyes the bowl of stew in my hands suspiciously.“Are you feeling ill?”

I laugh and shake my head.I’d thought of the stew when he was because of how good it tasted to me, and had simply asked for a few more peppers than usual to make it useful as well as nourishing.I offer it to him and he eyes it warily before taking a careful bite.

“It’s good,” he says slowly, then smiles brightly.“I love it all the more because you thought to bring it to me that day.I shall eat it whenever I fall ill and know that it will make me feel better all the faster.”

We eat lunch at a leisurely pace, not really talking about much of anything.He is too busy watching everything, and if I’m honest, I’m too busy watching _him._ He’s fascinated by everything, from the people bustling around to the rustling of the leaves in the wind… and I am thrilled.This is exactly what I’d wanted to see, to know, and now I will have one more precious memory with him to cherish.

Once we’ve finished eating I can tell he’s eager to explore, so I lead him through the city and point out various places that I think will interest him.He seems to love the water most of all and so we linger by the lake.“This is incredible,” he murmurs.“Look at how the sunlight makes the water shine!”He looks at me and smiles.“It’s not so different from when the water is frozen, is it?”

I shake my head- it isn’t, not really.It just shines in a different way.I pause, then worry that he may think I brought him here to show him what a miserable place Coerthas is, but he shakes his head and wraps an arm around me, giving me a quick hug.

“I don’t think that at all,” he reassures me.“I just think it’s amazing how beauty takes so many forms, and how so many of them are actually quite similar.”He laughs, then, and I can’t help but smile just to hear it.“Also, I must admit, it’s nice to be outside without my cloak and hood and not fear frostbite.”

This is also true, and I nod, tipping my face up to the sun.We stand there for a little while longer before I reach out and take his hand again, grinning up at him.He looks at me curiously, but now he’s seen what teleportation looks like and he quickly takes my other hand- which I find charming- and we vanish, heading deeper into the Shroud.

We’ve explored for about two hours when we stop and take another break, this time next to a waterfall-fed spring that trails off into a creek.I sit down on the soft grass next to the water and smile up at him as he sits next to me, then take a snack out of my bag and spread it out on a cloth for us to eat.

After a little while he stands again, looking at the spring.“I simply can’t resist,” he announces, and I blink, wondering what he means- then promptly turn red when he starts removing his armor.He looks at me with a grin.“When I was young, my brothers dared me to jump naked into a snowdrift.I did it, though I can’t honestly tell you why.This water looks _far_ more pleasant.”

I avert my eyes.If he wants to swim that’s all well and good… and I won’t deny the fact that once he’s in the water, I’m certainly going to be stealing glances every now and then.I sit quietly until he walks over and crouches in front of me, gently putting one finger beneath my chin and tipping my face up so he can see my eyes.He is grinning, and I feel my blush darken further.

“You’re shy?” he murmurs.His grin softens into a warm smile.“Come, there’s no need for that.There’s not another soul for miles!”

I sputter a little, certain my face must be glowing.It is one thing to be behind closed doors in the dim firelight, and another _entirely_ to be outside in the afternoon sun.He laughs and winks at me, then stands and very deliberately stretches- and I immediately turn around, making a strangled sound that might pass for asking him what exactly he thinks he’s doing.

“I’m going to swim,” he says cheerfully.“I’d love it if you’d join me, my shy one.”I hear the rustling of grass as he walks away and then the sound of splashing, and I exhale as I stare up at the sky.

After a moment I decide this isn’t something I truly want to miss and so I very slowly remove my armor, then the soft clothing beneath.I glance over my shoulder and find him watching me from the middle of the spring, which only comes up to his chest, and he smiles and holds his arms out.I only hesitate a second before turning to face him and hurrying into the water- into his arms.

He laughs again and holds me tight, then playfully spins me around.“See?It’s glorious!”

It is, I think, and I smile as I watch him.Seeing him truly happy isn’t an uncommon occurrence, but in this case, his happiness is for me alone, and I’m more than glad I decided to shed my modesty and join him.He looks up at the trees above us, then back down at me, and his smile softens again… and I am suddenly very aware of the heat of his body against mine in comparison to the cool water, and I realize I’m blushing all over again.I do the only thing I can think of, in that moment- I take a step back, then give him a playful grin as I splash water at him.He gasps and sputters, but laughs and splashes me back, and we frolic like children for quite some time.

Eventually he catches me and pulls me close again, both of us still laughing.“It is wonderful to see you so happy,” he says, breathing a little hard from exertion.“Thank you for all of this- I will always cherish these memories.”

That is, I think, the exact same feeling I have, and I nod and lift a hand to lightly touch his jaw.“Thank you for trusting me enough to come with me,” I say quietly.

“Beloved, you never have to worry about that,” he murmurs.“I was willing to go with you into the Aery itself, and I am willing to go wherever you lead.”He pauses, then winks.“This is, however, _far_ more pleasant.”He leans down and kisses me, then, and my eyes fall closed as I return it.

Little things begin to come to the forefront of my mind, small details that suddenly seem infinitely noticeable- the warmth of his hands on my waist, the touch of his lips against my own, the slight shift that brings us closer yet.His hands slide to the small of my back as he holds on tighter, and I shiver slightly as my blood ignites.All I can focus on now is him, the press of his body against mine, the way he’s kissing me which in no way now speaks of innocence or friendship.

When the kiss breaks we are both breathing harder, and he takes my hands, walking backwards out of the water and leading me to the shore.His gaze stays locked on mine, bright blue and heated.This, I think, is surely what motivates bards to sing about love… and for a brief moment, I understand.He is careful with me as he always is, touching me as though he fears I’ll break.I had teased him about it once, and he’d replied that I had enough pain to go through- he didn’t want to risk adding more.That had touched my heart and earned him a thorough kiss that left him reeling.I come to life under his hands, become something far more than I ever thought possible, and he only draws me closer.

We are nose to nose when he speaks again, his voice whisper-soft.I gaze up at him dazedly, every inch of me clamoring for him.“If I could have one wish,” he breathes, “it would be for this moment to last forever.”

I smile, tangle the fingers of my right hand in his hair as I embrace him with my left arm, and arch upward ever so slightly.“It can, I think,” I reply, and that seems to have been the exact right thing to say.He smiles back, a smile that breaks my heart with its beauty, and it’s my turn now to pull _him_ closer.

After, when we’re laying entwined on the soft grass, I peer up at him and smile again.His eyes are closed and a small smile curves his lips- he looks peaceful, happy.I settle down against him and let myself relax as well, yawning softly.It’s early evening now, and we should be getting back soon, but I’m not motivated to move- nor, it seems, is he.

“Do you believe what you said?” he murmurs, and when I peer up at him again his eyes are still closed.“About this moment lasting forever?”

I tuck myself closer and nod, tracing patterns on his chest and stomach with my fingertips.I believe in forever, especially when it’s a forever that involves him and me… and I chuckle quietly at myself.Apparently I’ve become quite the dreamer.I pause, then push myself up and look down at him.He smiles and reaches up, tucking my hair back gently.Now seems to be the perfect time, though I’ve no doubt he knows- I’ve never said it, not directly.I lean down and nudge our noses together, and I whisper three words I never thought would be for me to say… and he says them back, and in that moment, forever absolutely seems attainable.

We eventually have to leave and return to the cold and the snow, but as we walk back into Fortemps Manor, I’m fairly certain that both of us are open books for anyone who’d care to look closely enough.Luckily- or perhaps unluckily- there’s enough that needs our attention that no attention is called to the fact that we disappeared for the day… but even as duty calls, I know that the memory of what we’d shared will never be far from my mind- nor, I think, from his.

I smile.

For the two of us, that moment _will_ last forever.

 


End file.
